Streamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures was an American distribution company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation. History Founding Founded in 1988, it was the first North American company that was founded primarily for the intention of distributing translated anime uncut and faithful to the original content. The founders of Streamline were Carl Macek, who had worked for Harmony Gold USA during the mid 1980s, most notably on the series Robotech, and Jerry Beck, an animation historian and film distribution veteran who had worked at MGM/UA, Orion and Expanded Entertainment. At one point or another, Steve Kramer, Ardwight Chamberlin, Tom Wyner, and Mike Reynolds all of whom served as series staff writers (and voice actors) on Robotech, worked as independent writers and voice actors for Streamline. High profile products distributed by Streamline The first high profile product distributed by Streamline was its December 1989 release of the anime film Akira. Streamline is also known for its 1989 theatrical distribution of the film Laputa: The Castle in the Sky directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and its 1992 video dubbing of The Castle of Cagliostro. Streamline also dubbed My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service, in 1988 for Tokuma Shoten, although these were only used as in-flight films by Japan Air Lines at the time. As a fan of Miyazaki's films, Macek did not think Castle in the Sky (of which Streamline was the distributor) had received the quality of dubbing that a Miyazaki film deserved. He thought that it could have been done better, so the Japanese releaser Tokuma Shoten gave him the opportunity to prove his words. For his first project, he asked to dub My Neighbor Totoro, one of his favorite Miyazaki works. The Streamline dub of My Neighbor Totoro was released theatrically in the U.S. by Troma Films in 1993; but its dub of Kiki's Delivery Service appeared only on the 1990s Japanese laser disc release of that title. (Since then, however, Castle in the Sky and My Neighbor Totoro have both been redubbed by Disney.) Tokuma Shoten was pleased with the quality of the initial work, and it immediately hired Streamline Pictures to produce the English language version of Kiki's Delivery Service. Soon after its release, the film was bought by Japan Airlines who showed it during their flights between Japan and the U.S. (The film has since been redubbed by Disney.) It also licensed and dubbed other popular anime series and movies such as Fist of the North Star, Wicked City, Lensman, Vampire Hunter D and The Professional: Golgo 13. Home video market Streamline, in being the first company dedicated to making anime accessible to the English speaking world, was notable for releasing a wide variety of anime that fit in a wide variety of genres, many of which do not fit completely in any genre such as Twilight of the Cockroaches. During the 1990s VHS era, before the common availability of hybrid DVDs, anime distributors released anime via subtitled or dubbed tapes with the subtitled editions being noticeably more expensive than the dubs which were expected to sell better. Streamline is also notable in being the only such company to eschew this practice and release only dubs of its anime. The only exceptions were the later Akira subtitled release and their Robotech Collection, which included episodes of the original Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeada episodes on the same tape along with their Robotech counterparts. Criticism Because of Carl Macek's notoriety with a certain branch of fandom, Streamline became one of the early catalysts of the sub vs. dub debate. Macek's philosophy towards anime dubbing, as stated in several interviews, most notably published Protoculture Addicts and Animag, has become largely synonymous with the negative connotation concerning "Americanized dubs". Later years In 1992, Streamline opened a Spanish-dubbing division, called Streamline Pictures Español. The next year, they started publishing manga as Streamline Comics. From the start, Streamlines manga was distributed by Hyperion Books, the book publishing arm of The Walt Disney Company. One of their last anime dubs was Ojamajo Doremi, which they only dubbed 26 episodes of before Disney took over production. Disney distributes all of Streamline's episodes of the series, and once they took over they kept the cast and crew of the dub. Streamline Pictures was eventually absorbed into Orion Pictures, which, in turn, would fold into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer one year later. Streamline subsequently went out of business in 2002, after spinning off Streamline Pictures Español and Streamline Comics into their own company, Streamline LLC. Streamline LLC is currently owned by Urban Vision Entertainment, though the manga is still distributed by Hyperion. Gradually, as its licenses lapsed, the rights to its film and television library (as dubbed or subtitled by Streamline) were divided between MGM, Disney, Fox, Paramount, Warner Bros., Universal, Lionsgate, Urban Vision, and ADV, while the rest of the rights reverted back to the original owners. (ADV has since closed down, with all of its Streamline assets currently in the hands of FUNimation.) Some of the titles were relicensed to other companies. Today, Beta tapes of Haruhi Suzumiya, Kampfer, Angel Beats, High School of the Dead, Oreimo, and Aria the Scarlet Ammo carry the Streamline name as a tribute to the company (the English dubbing style also homages Streamline's). List of titles released *''My Neighbor Totoro'' (1988) (distributed by Troma Films, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Laputa: The Castle in the Sky'' (1989) (currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Akira'' (1989) (distributed by Orion Pictures, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Kiki's Delivery Service'' (1990) (currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Lensman'' (1990) (distributed by MGM/UA Communications, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Zillion'' (1990) (currently owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Universal Pictures) *''Robot Carnival'' (1991) (currently owned by Lionsgate) *''Windaria'' (1991) (currently owned by Lionsgate) *''Fist of the North Star'' (distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, currently owned by 20th Century Fox) *''Zillion: Burning Night'' (1991) (currently owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Universal Pictures) *''Neo Tokyo'' (1992) (distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and later ADV Films, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Planet Busters'' (1992) (currently owned by Lionsgate) *''Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water'' (1992) (currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Urusei Yatsura'' (1992) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Urusei Yatsura: Only You'' (1992) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Robotech II: The Sentinels'' (1992) (later distributed by ADV Films, currently owned by FUNimation Entertainment) *''Twilight of the Cockroaches'' (1992) (currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''The Castle of Cagliostro'' (1992) (distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''The Professional: Golgo 13'' (1992) (distributed by United Artists, currently owned by Urban Vision Entertainment) *''3×3 Eyes'' (1992) (distributed by Orion Pictures, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Dirty Pair: Affair on Nolandia'' (1992) (distributed by United Artists, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Sailor Moon'' (1992) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Vampire Hunter D'' (1992) (distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and later Urban Vision Entertainment, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''The Speed Racer Show'' (1993) (distributed by Family Home Entertainment, currently owned by Warner Bros. Pictures and Lionsgate) *''Battle Angel Alita'' (1993) (distributed and currently owned by 20th Century Fox) *''Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer'' (1993) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Robotech'' (1993) (distributed by Family Home Entertainment and later ADV Films, currently owned by FUNimation Entertainment) *''Dirty Pair: Project Eden'' (1993) (distributed by United Artists, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Doomed Megalopolis'' (1993) (distributed and currently owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) *''Wicked City'' (1993) (distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, currently owned by Urban Vision Entertainment) *''Ranma ½'' (1993) (currently owned by Lionsgate) *''Silent Möbius'' (1993) (distributed by Miramax Films, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Crying Freeman'' (1993) (later distributed by ADV Films, currently owned by FUNimation Entertainment) *''Mermaid Scar'' (1993) (distributed and currently owned by Touchstone Pictures) *''Lupin III: Tales of the Wolf'' (1993) (distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''The Promise of the Rose'' (1994) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Dirty Pair: Flight 005 Conspiracy'' (1994) (distributed by United Artists, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Urusei Yatsura: Remember My Love'' (1994) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''8 Man After'' (1994) (currently owned by Warner Bros. Pictures) *''Ranma ½: The Battle of Nekonron'' (1994) (currently owned by Lionsgate) *''Lily C.A.T.'' (1994) (currently owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) *''Babel II'' (1995) (currently owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) *''Barefoot Gen'' (1995) (currently owned by 20th Century Fox) *''Casshan: Robot Hunter'' (1995) (later distributed by ADV Films, currently owned by FUNimation Entertainment and Paramount Pictures) *''Hearts in Ice'' (1995) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Crimson Wolf'' (1995) (currently owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) *''Saint Tail'' (1995) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Urusei Yatsura: Lum the Forever'' (1995) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Lupin III: Mystery of Mamo'' (1995) (distributed by Carolco Pictures, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Megazone 23'' (1995) (distributed and currently owned by Warner Bros. Pictures) *''Ranma ½: The Battle of Togenkyo'' (1995) (currently owned by Lionsgate) *''Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms'' (currently owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) *''The Black Dream Hole'' (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Dangaioh'' (1996) (distributed and currently owned by Universal Pictures) *''Urusei Yatsura: The Final Chapter'' (1996) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''X: The Destiny War'' (1996) (distributed and currently owned by Universal Pictures) *''3×3 Eyes 2'' (1997) (distributed by Orion Pictures and later Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Urusei Yatsura: Always My Darling'' (1997) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''Gunbuster'' (1997) (distributed and currently owned by Universal Pictures) *''Team Ranma vs. the Legendary Phoenix'' (1997) (currently owned by Lionsgate) *''Shinseiki Evangelion'' (1997) (distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, currently owned by Universal Pictures) *''Pocket Monsters'' (1997) (in association with TMS Entertainment and ITC Entertainment) (distributed by WGBH Boston, currently owned by Urban Vision Entertainment, WGBH Boston, and Walt Disney Pictures) *''CardCaptor Sakura'' (1998) (distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Warner Bros. Pictures, currently owned by Warner Bros. Pictures) *''Pocket Monsters: Mewtwo's Counterattack'' (1998) (in association with TMS Entertainment and ITC Entertainment) (currently owned by Urban Vision Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures) *''CardCaptor Sakura: The Movie'' (1999) (in association with PBS Pictures) (distributed and currently owned by Warner Bros. Pictures) *''Ojamajo Doremi'' (1999) (distributed and currently owned by Walt Disney Pictures) *''CardCaptor Sakura: The Final Card'' (2000) (in association with PBS Pictures) (distributed and currently owned by Warner Bros. Pictures) References * Akemi's Anime World - Streamline Pictures Review Index and Company Info External links * Category:Anime companies Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer subsidiaries Category:Home video companies of the United States Category:Companies established in 1988 Category:Companies disestablished in 2002